


Under the skin

by HuntingDandy (Vintage_lover_who)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Boot Worship, Confused Kylo, I like making Hux suffer, I'm trash and I'm loving it, Jealous Hux, M/M, Oblivious Hux, Pining, Sassy Kylo, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, angry space boyfriends, just a bit, lack of preparation, mentions of bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-12 23:33:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5685886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vintage_lover_who/pseuds/HuntingDandy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, individuals had soulmarks; tiny symbols that matched one another in very specific cases in which it was said the person had found their soulmate. </p><p>General Hux is dedicated to his work. Kylo Ren is devoted to the Dark Side. Neither have time to worry about this and yet...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hindsight

**Author's Note:**

> So apparently some people thought the trash compactor needed a soulmate!AU, me amongst them and this happened. Since the whole idea of names has already been done (masterfully, to be honest), I decided on a different approach.  
> Inspired on one of the prompts sent to kylux-fic-hell.tumblr.com which you should totally check out if you're spaceboyfriends trash like me

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, individuals had soulmarks; tiny symbols that matched one another in very specific cases in which it was said the person had found their soulmate. Having a soulmate didn’t necessarily imply romance; some soulmates were just wonderful friends that understood each other in a deeper level, just as others were completely platonic.

It also didn’t mean things between soulmates would always go smoothly or that everyone found their “other half” at some point. In fact, in such a vast and incommensurable territory such as space, chances were you’d have a hard time finding someone who complimented your mark and finally fused with it.

There were legends of soulmarks “attracting” each other; individuals being in the right place at the right time, fortunate coincidences and even a dull throbbing of the marks when soulmates approached or even were in the vicinity, but none of them could be ultimately proved. After all, having a soulmark was an individual experience granted by the Force, and a very personal one as well. Almost no-one went through the exact same things when it came to finding their soulmates.

But just as previously stated, some people didn’t ever find their soulmates. Some didn’t have the patience or the interest or lacked the extra bit of luck needed. Some fell for others beforehand or some married for convenience. That was the case with Hux’s parents. A high-ranking officer for the Imperial Academy and a remarkable pilot could hardly have time for soulmate searching, so getting together was only logical.

Although his mother and father weren’t soulmates, they seemed to work out well enough and both Hux and his brother grew up in a secure but disciplined environment. Therefore, it was no wonder that Hux’s initial concerns regarding his own soulmark were addressed casually and sometimes in a dry, almost irritated manner.

Hux’s mark was not too peculiar; a succession of 3 separated circles, one smaller than the previous and at the end, the silhouette of an even more reduced triangle, supposedly referring to his soulmate’s mark. All of the figures were incomplete, only half of them showing on Hux’s wrist, who was secretly proud of them, despite his parents’ insistence on the lack of importance of them.

As Hux’s life progressed, and just as his attention began to be divided between his various occupations, he started paying less and less attention to his soulmark; that is until his days at the Academy. With the existence of packs of teenagers gathered together, interest in each other was inevitable, and suddenly soulmarks became relevant again.

It was Hux’s first real chance to look for his soulmate, having so many people at his disposition to explore, so guided by the legends, he decided to pay close attention to his surroundings and to the way his mark behaved in different circumstances. However, no-one seemed to fully catch his attention, let alone provoke any deeper emotions.

Nevertheless, people around him seemed to have the best of lucks; there were already 5 pairings in his first class and counting, yet Hux seemed to be immune to everything going on around him. The fact that so many people –but at the same time not enough- were finding their soulmates, caused that a few bragged about it and even teased their apparently less fortunate fellows. Hux, being a mostly quiet but brilliant student, was perceived by some of those around him as lacking social skills, becoming the target of lots of light-hearted teasing as well as outright aggression. It also didn’t help that he was the son of Commander Brendol Hux.

One time, he was reading outside one of the buildings when some girls of his class who were passing by started pointing at him and laughing. Another time, he was shoved against one of the corridors by some of the boys as another attached a sign to his back that read “soulless”.

Hux would usually take all these offenses gracefully, trying his best not to show any sign of weakness, as his father would want him to. The only time he had complained, the man had looked down on him and reminded Hux of his previous warnings about the inconveniences of soulmarks. When the boy had tried to protest regarding a situation he couldn’t control, his father exploded.

“Jonathan Brendol Hux Jr, you will get your bearings and behave as a son of mine! I will hear no more about this inconsequential matter”, he had stated, leaving no room for discussion.

Hux could’ve probably taken all of that as focused as he was in his career, but suddenly everything started going downhill. His younger brother, the one that had surpassed him in almost every other endeavour they had attempted at some point of their lives, found his soulmate, a beautiful girl who made their parents lower the amount of times they lashed about the whole “soulmate business”.

The tipping point would come only a few months later, when Hux met a boy who seemed to be up to his expectations and with a triad of triangles on his right bicep. Hux was so desperate to prove everyone his worth that he missed all the red flags until it was too late.

He had kissed the boy many times, made out with him and yet their soulmarks hadn’t merged, so the boy proposed they had sex. Hux had his doubts but still went along with it in order to get the desired outcome. After an unpleasant encounter, he eagerly checked his wrist just to find his rings as incomplete as ever and a smirking, rude boy accepting he had painted the triangle soulmark himself just to get him to bed.

Needless to say, after that day Hux started wearing long sleeves and hiding his soulmark at all costs, focusing on his training more than he ever had with remarkable results. His father was right: soulmarks were useless, distracting nuisances and he had more important ambitions to pursue.

******************

Kylo Ren walked down the corridors of the Finaliser with his helmet on and his robes flowing behind him. He was in a decent mood after a couple of hours of training and meditation and he only hoped whatever news Snoke had for him were equally promising.

Kylo went in expecting to find General Hux already speaking to the Supreme Leader but was surprised to find the throne room as deserted as ever, Snoke’s hologram the only presence to fill the place. The knight positioned himself before his Master and saluted him reverently.

“I wasn’t expecting your call this morning”, said Ren after tackling the formalities.

“I’m merely assessing your progress, Kylo Ren”, responded the being as he sat back in his throne. “Tell me, have you been doing what I advised you to?”

Kylo tensed. “Yes, Supreme Leader, I have been meditating longer”.

“That is not what concerns me”, started Snoke, a strange expression on his face. “How has your soulmark been? Is it still throbbing?”

“Its activity has descended”, reported Kylo. “Your meditation techniques for isolating it have proven to be effective”.

That earned him an approval gesture from Snoke. “Good, but you have to keep on practicing. You will only be able to fully embrace the Dark Side once you detach yourself from all distractions of the Light, especially one as vicious as a soulmark”.

Kylo nodded his agreement and listened to Snoke’s words for a couple more minutes before the communication was ended by the Supreme Leader with another urge to estrange himself. The knight didn’t move for a while, taking everything in right before heading back out.

As his boots echoed through the halls, he couldn’t help but think that Snoke’s concerns were completely ill-founded. He held no interest for anything regarding soulmates and although his mark had been calling for attention recently, he dismissed it entirely.

He still remembered what his father used to say about soulmarks and how important they were for the adequate development of individuals. Han Solo had been blessed with two soulmarks, one that bounded him to his Wookie best friend and another that attached him to Leia, both of which he was very content with. His mother had two as well, that besides from the obvious bounded her to her brother too.

Even when he was young, Kylo hadn’t cared that much for his own mark, dismissing most of his parents’ talk about it as inconsequential. Still, a small part of him used to wonder about the odds of finding someone for himself, one who was supposed to complement and understand him in a deeper level than anybody else could. Mainly, he’d found that silly because he thought he had all the love and comprehension he needed in his family, but those had been other times and other circumstances, things that happened to someone else, things that would’ve probably mattered to Ben Solo but not to Kylo Ren.

Such memories left a bitter taste on his tongue, so he pushed them away and concentrated on the present, trying to enter a state of mindfulness even while walking down the Finaliser. He let his mind be engulfed by the Force right before starting to extend his own power outwards, assessing his surroundings with it.

No more than 60 seconds later, he passed intolerable General Hux down the corridor followed by a quadrille of Stormtroopers, the ginger man immersed in his datapad but politely addressing Ren nevertheless. Kylo returned the pleasantry in a clipped tone, feeling his power collide against Hux’s being. And just as the whole committee was about to turn the corner, Kylo’s forearm started twitching in an unpleasant manner, as if suddenly all his blood had been redirected to a small spot right on the underside of his elbow.

The knight stopped on his tracks, mildly dazed and extending his powers a bit more in search of whatever called for his blood so fiercely, but before he could actually unfold them, Kylo interrupted the connection; he was supposed to supress his soulmark, not indulge it so he got back on track, heading to his chambers. Besides, he couldn’t stand the idea that his soulmate could be a Stormtrooper (perhaps the only beings cold enough to stand his own temper?) and according to rumours, Hux already had a soulmate, so he was ruled out of the possibilities. And Kylo thanked every single star for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a side note, my headcanon is that Hux's mum was a badass pilot and Hux inherited her skills. Also, please excuse my cheesiness regarding his full name but he totally looks like a Jonathan to me.  
> On the other hand, Han and Leia weren't obviously the perfect parents but Ben used to see them as such when he was little, anyway.
> 
> So first chapter of 3! This is my first fic for the pairing and I'd love to hear your comments, critics, headcanons and more!  
> You can hit me up at wibblywobblyconsultingdetective.tumblr.com and send me prompts or just scream together about evil gingers and their boyfriends


	2. Epidermis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo explores. Hux realises he's not the only one having trouble. Phasma knows more than she admits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy for the receiving this silly work of mine has gotten. Thank you all for your kudos and comments, I look forward to hearing much more of you all!  
> This chapter is meant to be a more in-depth look to the situation. Hope it's not too boring.

The sensation was so light and foreign that when it assaulted Hux, he almost dismissed it entirely. He was holding his datapad as he strode down the corridors, explaining the latest fixes to some troopers when he felt an itch on his left wrist, as if a small animal was crawling under his skin. He scratched it distractedly but the feeling didn’t go away.

The General lifted his sleeve discreetly as well as his glove just to realise that the exact spot that was making him uncomfortable was the soulmark. He glared at it as he let the troopers get ahead of him. He stood on the corridor for a moment, a bit confused, just to get right back on track, giving little thought to the incident.

The day went on normally with a few meetings and the customary call from Snoke; the more the construction of the weapon advanced, the more he wanted to be briefed about it, which Hux tended to find tedious, not to mention that he had to interact with that Knight of Ren.

Unlike most of the people on the ship, he didn’t avoid Kylo out of fear. He thought he was an intelligent but misguided individual, too caught up in himself and his own importance; apparently, the entire universe could fall as long as Ren’s will was done. In addition, Hux thought the man relied too much on his power, and Hux believed that using one’s singularity to impose on others made you no more than a bully. He despised bullies.

Still, he couldn’t deny there was something engaging about the hooded figure; Ren’s energy was easy to feel and it drew you towards him in an almost intoxicating way. However, and regardless how interesting he could seem at a distance, Kylo was also whimsical and constantly questioned the General’s authority and decisions, which made him less likeable to Hux. At the end, what mattered the most was not making friends but fulfilling his duty, so he usually concentrated on it.

******************

Ren was lying in his quarters, helmet off and boots resting at the end of the bed. Most of the personnel of the Finaliser was already resting and although he knew he should too in order to be able to train early, his mind was racing, the sensation he had felt on the corridor eating at him.

He had been mostly occupied the rest of the day so he had little time to question the episode, but now in the quiet of his room, he couldn’t help but wonder what had happened. His mark had been behaving oddly recently and when he told Snoke, the Supreme Leader seemed almost alarmed. He warned him for the umpteenth time about the call of the light and instructed him on techniques to appease it. Still, it seemed that no matter what Kylo did, the thing kept on acting with will of its own.

Sometimes throughout the day, he would get thoughts that weren’t his but he’d be unable to track them; he would get sensations, tastes, feelings and of course, there was that insidious throbbing that would assault him when he least expected. In so many years of living, his soulmark hadn’t bothered him in the least, yet all of a sudden it appeared to had gone crazy. The Finaliser had thousands of inhabitants, who was he supposed to blame?

Kylo breathed deeply. He had to concentrate in order to isolate himself, just as Snoke had instructed, so he started to slowly empty his mind, focusing only on certain sensations and ideas. He let the Force flow, extending his powers as limbs and letting himself go. Suddenly, the foreign sensations were there again: slight warm, a taste of coffee in his mouth that Kylo savoured as long as it remained. He also felt tiredness and a trace of exasperation.

On the other side of the Finaliser, Hux sat in his office, revising the most recent budgets sent in by Accountancy. He sighed at the numbers, finding it hard to believe they couldn’t be more efficient with the expenses. He took a sip from his coffee as he sat back, turning the numbers in his head.

Meanwhile, Kylo kept on stretching his senses and revelling in the foreign sensations, the mark starting to ache softly, a constant call that pulled at him. He decided to follow it with his powers, too caught up in the moment to stop. It all felt so…natural.

Hux was so abstracted in his calculations that he didn’t notice that some of the pages left on another desk started falling to the floor. He also didn’t notice how one of the chairs of the room moved until it was crashing against his own, making him lose balance and fall to the floor, being immediately followed by his mug, that crashed right next to him.

Kylo opened his eyes abruptly. He hadn’t meant to lose control in such a way and although he had little idea of what had happened, he felt the quick flash of pain followed by the puzzlement on the other side of the connection.

He didn’t know what had caused it and he preferred not to find out. It had been enough “Force-exploring” for the day. Ren turned on his side and prepared to sleep, his soulmark still throbbing.

In the meantime, Hux sat on the floor of his office, a little overwhelmed, slightly confused and mostly angry. He could hardly believe someone was fiddling with the Finaliser’s controls but if they indeed were, he would find them and take appropriate measures.

He spoke through his comm as he cradled his left hand, injured due to the mug’s shards, and asked for information to the control room. Security reported nothing out of the ordinary, but that didn’t improve Hux’s mood in the least. It also didn’t help that his bloody soulmark was throbbing in a blatant call for attention. Hux couldn’t help the irritated sigh that escaped his lips as he exited the office to head back to his quarters.

*****************

Moods were sour by the time activities restarted in the Finaliser. Hux trotted in one of the ship’s training areas, his hand bandaged after the recent incident with the mug. It was only when he stopped to have some water that Captain Phasma approached him, her blonde hair a bit tousled.

“Greetings, General”, started the woman politely.

Hux answered with a sigh; he did little else these days. “Greetings, Captain, I hope you rested well”.

“I did, thank you, but I’m not sure I could say the same for yourself. You seem upset somehow”, observed Phasma, sitting beside him.

The General wasn’t particularly talkative outside work; he was patient with the soldiers and sometimes fraternised with the officers, but never went further than that. However, and although it was true he wasn’t at his best at the moment and he’d always been fond of the Captain, he surprised himself by being completely honest with Phasma.

“I’m having trouble trying to sleep, mainly because of an odd set of symptoms”.

“Perhaps a visit to the medical bay would be in order, sir”, suggested Phasma. “After all, it’s been a while since you last reported there”.

“I’m not sure this can be fixed at the medical bay”, replied Hux, feeling the heavy truth of his statement.

Phasma was a little taken aback. “If you’re concerned, I can assure you we have the latest technology-“

“No, that is not the problem”, interrupted Hux. “I’ve got some… _soulmark issues_ ”.

Hux could feel his face grow hot and Phasma’s puzzlement. It was understandable that this seemed complex to her; after all, Stormtroopers had their marks erased at birth in order to prevent any distractions. It was in days like this that Hux felt like asking for the removal of his own.

“Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know. I’ve read my fair share about the matter”.

The Captain’s words snapped Hux out of his musings. He was about to ask what exactly was that Phasma knew about soulmarks but by the time he turned back, the woman was already exercising. Hux decided to follow her lead and started running again.

******************

Snoke’s call had interrupted one of Hux’s meetings, and he was bitter about it. He had to stand in the throne room, answering the same questions about the weapon’s progress, which was almost the same as reported the previous day and even the day before, only with the novelty of having to intensify the search for Skywalker’s map. That was why Hux didn’t bother to start small talk while Ren and he were striding towards the bridge and also why he was taken aback when he heard the knight’s distorted voice addressing him.

“What happened to your hand, General?”

Hux glanced at his ungloved hand as he rubbed it self-consciously. “Just a small incident at the office, nothing to fret over”.

“I wasn’t _fretting_ ”, assured the knight in that unreadable tone of his that made Hux’s blood boil with anger.

“And I didn’t say you were”, replied the General, annoyed. “By the way, you haven’t been recently snooping around the control room by any chance, have you?”

Kylo stopped and stared at Hux, pinning him in place. “Careful, General, we’re better off without tasting my limits. But now that you mention the control room, set course to Jakku. We’ll get to Tuanul from there”.

Hux remained force-pinned for a couple of seconds after Ren scooted away. “What’s in Jakku?” he shouted in defiance but Kylo was already gone.

*******************

After a few days, they had found what they wanted, or at least some of it. In any case, success had not lasted for long and now there was chaos. A traitor was gone and had taken a valuable prisoner with him. Hux was fuming and grew even angrier when he was told that Kylo Ren was in the middle of a chat with Snoke.

The General headed towards the throne room furiously, thinking about how to address the matter but just when he was about to storm into the place, he heard what Snoke was telling Kylo.

“You must control those impulses. Your soulmark must not dominate you; you have to consume it. Use its energy to train harder, shift it until it works for you. It is a good exercise in control, Kylo Ren. Only after you’ve managed to resist its call must you seek and eliminate the bearer of its counterpart”.

So Hux wasn’t the only one with “soulmark trouble”. _Interesting_. He had been talking a bit more with Phasma and he had found out that although trooper’s marks were physically erased, the connection wasn’t broken. Hux inferred that their soulmates were probably still out there calling, perhaps even _feeling_ the call of the invisible mark.

In addition to that, the members of the crew had their own marks intact, and though Hux was already past all that soulmark nonsense, he couldn’t help but wonder if his soulmate was there, lost among the faceless sea of troopers or in charge of any of the working stations. Knowing that Kylo Ren had problems of his own made him feel better about his still limited concerns.

He was so deep in thought he didn’t notice Kylo’s conversation with Snoke had already ended and that the knight was almost out of the room. By the time he did, Ren was already about to collide with him.

“Ren!” was the only thing that came out of Hux’s mouth at the close presence of Kylo. The other tilted his head at the General and listened to his explanation of the recent events. They both stormed back to the bridge without a second thought.


	3. Dermis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life was ironic in itself and Hux knew it. He just didn't know at what extent. Kylo may have better ideas than the one he voices out in the meetings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all the kudos and comments! I'm so glad to be part of such an accepting and friendly family as the kylux fandom. Also, we'll have 5 chapters instead of 3 because the kylux muse demands it. And so we change rating in this one. I don't write that much smut so any comment or critic will be highly appreciated, I literally live off those things.  
> Anyway, this is where we graduate, folks. You've been warned. Enjoy the sin.

The traitor, the droid and their ally had all managed to escape, and Ren’s mood was considerably spoiled. He had just finished thrashing a disdainful room but he didn’t feel any calmer. The amount of incompetence around him was impressive, and Hux’s blind faith in his men made Kylo want to thrash the entire Finaliser.

_General Hux_. The sole mention of him could get on Kylo’s nerves, always so composed and unaffected, always above any kind of emotion and therefore, above every other mortal, even one as powerful as Ren was. That air of sufficiency that Hux sported was enough to irk Kylo.

The man was undeniably handsome and well-mannered. He came from a family worth of First Order propaganda and it showed in his every move, and Kylo couldn’t help but wonder how we would look like when completely unravelled, his hair dishevelled, his pristine clothing wrinkled, perhaps pooled on the floor…

Ren shook his head, pushing away that train of thought. Hux was nothing but a man he was forced to work with until the Supreme Leader saw fit, so there was no need to dwell on such images. Besides, he had been acting weird lately, all shady and anxious, not at Kylo’s presence rather than at everything. And that cut in his hand…Kylo could’ve sworn he had been feeling pain in the exact same spot…

“Sir, we have one of the villagers”.

The monotone voice of a stormtrooper interrupted Kylo’s musings. “Show me”, he said before following the trooper.

The interrogation room was occupied by the prisoner, a very unremarkable man perfectly secured with another Stormtrooper by his side and someone Kylo didn’t expect to find there at all: Hux. It was hard to explain the unusual sensation of having the floor removed from under him at the sight of the General, but his mask gave nothing away.

“I didn’t expect to have company during this interrogation, General”, he started. “I thought you weren’t precisely concerned about my _personal interests_ ”.

Hux frowned. “The Supreme Leader asked me to be more involved in the search for the map and I _am_ getting involved, so proceed, Master Ren”.

Kylo turned back to the prisoner without a sound and extended his hand forward, stretching the Force outwards and reaching the man’s mind in order to access his memories.

“Shouldn’t you ask a question first-?”

“Silence”, reprimanded Ren and Hux obeyed reluctantly. The man was starting to squirm under Ren’s probing, beads of sweat running down his face. It wasn’t long until the man started screaming, Kylo being already inside his mind, witnessing the escape through his eyes and committing to memory the faces of his newfound enemies.

He was so focused in the scavenger girl’s face that he didn’t notice Hux’s breathing starting to accelerate. Ren’s concentration was broken by a different cry, this time coming from Hux, who bent over as he grabbed his left wrist. The knight interrupted his interrogation, leaving the prisoner almost unconscious and Hux panting. He grabbed him by the other arm and took him out of the interrogation room.

Hux directed him to his quarters. He had never been a fan of the medical bay, let alone now that a very specific part of him was aching; it was enough with Phasma knowing about his soulmark’s odd behaviour. As soon as the door was locked, Ren looked back at him expectant. He seemed tense.

“Care to explain what was that about?” asked Ren through his characteristic mask. “You’ve never seen someone being interrogated?”

“I have”, replied Hux drily, still holding his wrist. “Just not by you”.

“Then what was it?”

“I don’t know, and why assume it was my fault? Maybe someone should learn to aim properly”.

The knight stood taller. “I wasn’t a _iming_ at you, just at the prisoner. That’s not how the Force works-“

“Yeah, well good job with that”.

The General expected Kylo to backlash at his snarky interruption but instead he just stood there for a few seconds before bringing his hands to the sides of his mask. The seals made a hissing noise and then Hux wasn’t standing before a faceless monster but before a young man, looking at him with an unreadable expression.

Hux swallowed; this was definitely not the image of Kylo Ren he had constructed in his mind. He looked much younger ( _at least that explained the tantrums, right?_ ) and evidently much less threatening, but there was still an aura of power about him. His dark hair fell around his face in an effortless manner and he had one of the most interesting noses Hux had ever seen. It suited him, perhaps too much.

Kylo’s features were somewhat unusual but pleasant nevertheless. He now understood why he wore a mask: no-one could take threats seriously from such a beautiful face. Hux couldn’t help the blush that crept up his neck and the heat pooling in his gut.

“May I?” asked Ren, his face soft but still unreadable and extending his hand towards Hux to take his wrist. Hux offered it reluctantly. The young man lifted Hux’s sleeve, revealing the incomplete soulmark.

“Before you say anything”, started Hux, irritated. “Yes, even _I_ have a soulmark”.

“I wasn’t going to…” Ren’s eyes were wide. “It’s just…everyone said you already had a soulmate”.

“Everyone was wrong”, replied Hux in a sombre tone, almost hopeless, right before adopting a more stoic demeanour. “Now, can I please have my wrist back?”

Kylo let go of Hux’s wrist as if it had offended him, but his eyes were still fixed on it. Hux cradled it protectively against his chest, a brow raised at the knight’s behaviour. The silence was starting to become irritating when a knowing smile lit up Ren’s face.

Without uttering a single word, Kylo took off his right hand’s glove and proceeded to lift his own sleeve up to the elbow. And there, on his forearm, right on the inside of his elbow, there were three triangles in succession, one smaller than the other and a little circle at the end, all of them incomplete.

A long time ago, a younger Hux would’ve melted at the sight of such mark. He would’ve turned into a happy bundle of nerves, unable to control the emotions that threatened to spill from him. Now, he just felt confused.

Slowly but surely, everything started to click in his mind: the latest incidents, the sensation of being watched, of not being alone in his room even when the lights were out and everyone else was supposed to be sleeping.

Hux closed his eyes. _It was him, of course it was him_. From all the beings in the whole universe that could’ve been his soulmate, Kylo Ren had to be the one. It was almost comical, the irony…

Ren’s mark was still uncovered but his expression was back to normal, only a small smirk playing at his lips. “It appears we are _soulmates_ , General”.

Kylo looked so amused that Hux’s blood boiled in an unpleasant way. “Just so you know, I don’t intend to act on anything related to this matter. I think we both have enough on our plates as it is”.

Kylo’s amusement had been transformed into sufficiency as he started pacing near Hux, invading his personal space. “And I agree. But…” he stopped. “I have a proposition for you, General. An ‘exercise in control’ of sorts”.

Hux narrowed his eyes. “What kind of _exercise_?”

“The Supreme Leader wants me focused, as I’m sure you do too. You also know by recent experience how distracting an active soulmark can be, for which I’d like to propose a way to… _appease_ them, in order to keep performing our duty at the top of our capacities”.

Hux remained still, and if he didn’t know better, he’d say Kylo’s expression was mischievous. He smiled before speaking again.

“Have sex with me”.

Hux snorted. “You’ve got to be joking”.

“Never been more serious in my life, General”.

“Assuming I accepted your proposition, and I’m not saying I will, how do we know it’ll effectively quieten the marks?” asked Hux, feeling a little dizzy. This wasn’t the turn of events he had expected.

“We don’t, but I don’t see any harm in trying”, said Ren with another smirk. “Besides, it would do you good to relinquish a bit of that obsessive control of yours-“

Kylo’s sentence was interrupted by Hux, who pushed him against the wall, sinking his teeth in the knight’s neck and pressing himself against him. He made his way up Ren’s jaw until he was mere centimetres from his lips, but Kylo stopped him with a hand to the chest.

“No kissing”, he said, serious.

“What is it, Master Ren? Afraid you might fall for good old me?” Hux smirked but when Ren remained silent, he simply nodded.

Kylo let the hand he had used to stop Hux travel over his chest and up to his shoulders. He then ran it over his neck until he could feel the short hairs at the beginning of his nape. Hux felt his knees weaken and pulled Kylo with him towards the bed, letting him fall on top right before turning them over and straddling the young man.

Ren smirked as he struggled to push Hux off but he pinned his hands on top of his head and started licking Ren’s ear, eliciting a moan. Kylo let him play with his ear for a while before grabbing Hux’s hip and throwing him off balance. He clutched at Hux’s uniform and pulled at it, but he quickly pushed Ren’s hands away and started taking it off himself while the knight did the same with his own robes.

“So this is how you really are like”, commented Ren, a little out of breath.

“I can guarantee you this is nothing compared to-“

Ren interrupted Hux by launching himself against him, the sight of his pale collarbones too much to bear. Hux’s skin felt soft to the touch and Kylo revelled at the sight of it all flustered. He travelled downwards, kissing and biting his way towards Hux’s trousers, which were still on.

Kylo licked the outline of Hux’s already half hard cock through his trousers, his eyes never leaving those of the ginger. He then proceeded to travel even further down to Hux’s boots, which he started licking as well. A low groan interrupted his ministrations.

“You like this, General?” Hux nodded, cheeks flushed and Ren smirked. “Should’ve known this was your kind of thing”.

Ren slid his tongue down the length of Hux’s boot, watching as he shivered under his touch and gaze. He caressed his calves and thighs, feeling how the muscles flexed underneath the dark trousers. Hux was breathing almost frantically now, and when Kylo was about to give another lick to the shiny leather, Hux grabbed his jaw, not letting go until he had shifted enough to be on top of the taller man.

It was Hux’s turn to enjoy Kylo’s body. He started by nipping at his left nipple, licking and twisting it before biting down. Kylo let out a deep moan; it hadn’t even been an hour since Hux first heard the knight’s real voice but he was already completely mesmerised by it.

Encouraged by Ren’s sounds, Hux kept on lapping at his nipples, taking some time as well to bite his collarbones and suck at his neck, leaving marks on his wake. After a few minutes of teasing, Hux descended towards Kylo’s abdomen and couldn’t help but marvel at the well-constructed body; all that training was definitely paying off.

“Like what you see?” asked Kylo, a lazy smile on his face.

Hux ignored the remark and focused instead on unbuckling Ren’s trousers in order to free his cock. Hux held it as he licked his lips. How long had it been since he’d last done this? It couldn’t be since the Academy, could it?

He pushed those thoughts aside and began by licking the underside of Kylo’s cock. He waited for the precum to start leaking before putting the tip inside his mouth and swirling his tongue around it, not going deeper. He felt Ren’s hand grip his hair as he wrapped his hand around the shaft of Kylo’s cock right before pushing it deeper into his throat.

Kylo let out a shaky breath as Hux started going faster and faster, hollowing his cheeks from time to time and revelling in the burning feeling of his scalp when Ren pulled on his hair. He was beginning to lose track of time when Kylo tapped his head gently.

“Stop, otherwise this won’t last”

Hux smiled at that and followed Kylo’s lead as he started taking off his boots and trousers, along with their undergarments.

“You have any lubricant, General?”

The question took Hux by surprise. “Nightstand, top drawer”, he signalled.

Kylo couldn’t conceal a smile. “ _Top_ drawer? How often do you use it?”

Hux blushed and frowned. “That is none of your business”, he said as Kylo retrieved a small bottle from the aforementioned place and set himself between Hux’s legs.

Ren started opening him slowly, one finger at a time and Hux was actually surprised by the gentleness of it all. Kylo had two fingers inside him and was licking his balls like he had all the time in the world. Hux was already trembling in pleasure and impatience when the young man stopped abruptly.

“On your hands and knees”, commanded the taller man and Hux reprimanded himself for how quickly he had complied.

“Do not be ashamed”.

“What?” asked the ginger, peeking over his shoulder, before realisation dawned on him. “Are you inside of my head?”

Ren smiled smugly before positioning himself, quieting any further complain from Hux. He entered him slowly, holding his breath while doing so and Hux couldn’t believe how painful and pleasurable it was at the same time. Kylo started moving after giving Hux a few seconds to adjust to the intrusion.

Ren’s hips undulated at an excruciatingly slow pace until Hux started meeting his thrusts, already finding it hard to breath at the sensation. Then Kylo picked up the pace and Hux thought he would lose it right there and then. Suddenly, it was all too much: hands exploring his chest, teeth biting his earlobe, hair being pulled back and a punishing rhythm, all colliding against Hux’s senses.

The ginger let himself be engulfed by the overwhelming sensations for a few more thrusts before deciding to stop Ren, who looked at him in confusion. Hux then proceeded to push him against the pillows and straddling him once again.

Ren was now amused; he knew he could submit Hux at any time and turn him into a puddle with a single gesture of the hand, but he felt no desire for it. Instead, he contented himself with lying back and enjoying the view of the ginger’s flushed chest and lean abdomen, hipbones sticking out a bit. When Hux sank back on his cock, he couldn’t help the moan that escaped his lips.

Hux was panting as he rode Ren’s cock, the knight arching his hips to meet his thrusts. The ginger whimpered and Ren watched him through hooded eyes.

“Come on, damn you”

“What is it?” asked Ren, breathlessly.

Hux gritted his teeth. “You’re inside my head, you know exactly what I want”.

“Yes, but I’m still going to make you say it”.

“Harder!” commanded Hux without hesitation and Ren obliged.

The power struggle, Hux’s hands gripping his shoulders for leverage, his groans and that flush that spread over his chest and face…everything combined to tip Ren closer to the edge. He started frantically stroking Hux’s cock and suddenly the man was coming in his hand, a throaty moan escaping his lips. Kylo couldn’t hold back any more and came as well, biting his tongue not to scream Hux’s name but still letting out a low groan.

They were both panting and sweating as Hux stretched beside Kylo, chest heaving. They lied in the dark for several minutes until their breathings evened, none of them speaking. Once Hux felt like he had recovered the slightest control over his body, he turned on his side, his back to Ren. And suddenly, Kylo was pressed against his body.

Hux huffed. “So no kissing but we do cuddling?”

Ren remained silent but promptly disentangled himself with an irritated sigh. Hux caught his wrist and put Ren’s arm back in its original position over his frame, holding it there with his own hand.

“So how long?” asked the ginger, stifling a yawn.

“How long what?”

“How long have you wanted to fuck me?”

Ren smirked against his back. “Don’t flatter yourself. Not as long as you think”.

“I wasn’t thinking anything, but I’m not the one who reads minds”.

Kylo perched up at that. “Is it uncomfortable?”

Hux shrugged. “Not really, I barely notice”, he lied. He slowly turned on his back to stare at Ren’s face, who cupped one hand against his cheek. His eyes held an emotion Hux couldn’t quite place his finger on.

“You’re different”, observed Ren, more to himself than to Hux and he didn’t know what to answer. Of course he was different; he wasn’t going to parade around the ship asking to be worshipped, and if Kylo was talking about his looks, well, they had just fucked.

_Kylo_. Hux rolled the name around his tongue, savouring it and deciding the taste wasn’t as bitter as when he used the young man’s title. He hadn’t realised he had been voicing the word aloud until he earned an odd look from its bearer.

“Sorry”, blushed Hux as he frowned. “I was too caught up in my head”.

“I know”, snorted Ren. “If you like my name that much, why don’t you use it more often?”

“And then what, tell the crew we’re fucking? Or even better, that we’re supposed to be soulmates?” Hux didn’t know why he felt so defensive all of a sudden and Kylo wasn’t one to let others lash out at him, not even if “others” meant Hux.

“Hey, it was just a suggestion, but forget it if you’re going to get so worked up about it”, replied the dark-haired man with a frown, letting go of Hux’s body and sitting abruptly.

Hux admonished himself for his reaction; he was just so used to opposing Ren that he didn’t know how to react at him being what, gentle? Though he did know the man wore his heart on his sleeve, so why was he really surprised? He turned around with a sigh, extending his arm to stroke Ren’s back.

“Get down here, you’ll freeze”. That was as close as he was going to get to an apology tonight and he hoped Kylo would take it. The knight did reluctantly, his whole skin prickled because of the cold, and covered himself up, closing his eyes.

Hux remained quiet and unmoving for a few minutes before starting to card his right hand’s fingers through Kylo’s hair distractedly. It wasn’t long before Ren’s breath became deeper and Hux knew he had fallen asleep.

The ginger sighed for the umpteenth time on that week. Suddenly, all the weight of the day’s realisations started crushing him. There was a man lying beside him, one that was supposed to be his soulmate and he was Kylo Ren, no less, a man whom he had both competed against and lusted after, and now they’d had sex.

Hux wasn’t an innocent young man anymore, so he knew having sex with a soulmate didn’t mean your marks would be automatically completed, yet he couldn’t help but take a look at his. Both the three circles and the triangle were as fragmented as ever and a small, almost forgotten part of him ached a little. But then the mark started to throb almost imperceptibly. That and the feeling of Kylo’s warmth was enough to send Hux to sleep.


	4. Hypodermis pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Success doesn't taste exactly how Hux had imagined. Kylo always gets what he wants, regardless of what that might be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the unholy amount of time I've made you guys wait but I'm glad you're still here! I just got extremely self-conscious about this fic and that prevented me from writing. Anyhow, please enjoy the penultimate chapter. Also, I finally have a kylux-exclusive tumblr called hell-yeah-kylux. Come say hi!
> 
> Warnings for a slightly rough moment near the end. I promise it is not non-con but it does lack appropriate preparation.

Things went mostly back to normal after Hux and Kylo’s night together, with the difference that now the pair seemed to unconsciously gravitate towards each other. Their constant disagreements didn’t diminish in the least, but something about the atmosphere around them had somehow changed.

Hux couldn’t help but stare whenever Kylo was around and the knight seemed to always position himself near Hux in every meeting.

The sex was also mind-blowing. They now knew that the marks didn’t call for attention unless Kylo was actively using the Force, and Hux was perfectly okay with that. Still, they kept on finding the smallest excuses for staying the night at the other’s quarters.

Hux was growing accustomed to Kylo’s presence in his bed, his body heat warming the right side of it, his head resting on Hux’s chest after a great encounter. He was still aware of Ren’s flaws at work, of how ill-tempered and impulsive he could be, yet he somehow enjoyed the thought of being the only one with the privilege of seeing the knight’s true face, even more so when that face was flushed with pleasure.

Kylo on the other hand enjoyed a different outlet for his excess of energy. In Hux he had found someone who would gracefully take anything he had to give and sometimes even ask for more, and he was fascinated by Hux’s mind, with so many crevices and hidden corners. He also relished on the secret of Hux’s eyes, which everyone thought were icy blue but that were actually green, a green so pale that sometimes disguised itself as grey.

As much as keeping each other company was pleasant, Hux kept his feet on the ground. There was no shame on enjoying any of it as long as he knew exactly where he stood, and he did. There was no reason why soulmates couldn’t be fuckbuddies; perhaps some people was just meant to have great sex with each other and that was it, no sentimentalism involved, no complaining, no hurt…it was a win-win game, wasn’t it?

**************

Hux was found by Phasma at the officer’s mess. He just wanted to grab a quick snack before continuing his work; after all, lunch had already passed and he couldn’t wait for dinner.

“General! You’re looking good today”, greeted the Captain, taking off her helmet.

“Thank you, Captain. I’ve been sleeping better”, replied Hux, refilling his coffee mug.

“That I can see”, noted Phasma and Hux could feel blood rising to his face. There was no way the trooper could know anything about him and Ren, but he still felt nervous. “Have you solved your soulmark problem?”

The direct question took Hux by surprise, making him falter. Phasma apparently took his silence as permission to continue.

“Do we know who the lucky one is?”

“Captain!” jumped Hux, but he quickly schooled himself. “N-no, but I have a couple of theories”.

Phasma’s expression made him immediately regret his statement. What was about this woman that he couldn’t help but trust her? Still, he decided on a quick fix.

“But I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Instead, I have a question”.

Phasma stood just as heedful and serious as when given orders. Hux swallowed.

“Do you think there are soulmarks that never merge?”

The Captain tilted her head in puzzlement. “Not that I’ve ever read”, she started. “But I have read of cases in which it takes time for the bond to strengthen. After all, the merging only happens once both parties are fully committed to it”.

Hux couldn’t help but snort. If that was the case, then his soulmark was bound to be forever incomplete.

“Thank you Captain, you’ve been of great help”. Hux was heading out of the mess when he stopped abruptly. “I’m curious; does your mark still call?”

Phasma pressed her lips. “Sometimes, but my duty is enough to fulfil my needs”.

Hux nodded and excused himself. He’d eventually have to think of other methods to completely detach Stormtroopers from soulmarks, but this wouldn’t be the day.

**************

There, he had said it, the speech he’d been preparing since the beginning of the construction of the weapon, all his professional hopes and dreams materialised in the form of a complicated set of calculations perfected by him and a crimson ray. His eyes lit with the realisation of the achieved goal as his mind raced before the prospect of subsequent objectives.

He hadn’t meant to call out Ren before Snoke like that but they needed to act now and Hux didn’t have time for a chat on why his plan was better than Ren’s approach. As the ray stretched towards the despised Republic, Hux couldn’t help but think that Kylo was watching the exact same ray from the Finaliser, and he wondered if he understood his actions then, his decisions, his personality even. Could he understand every single thing in Hux’s life had lead up to that specific moment?

Still, something was off. This didn’t feel like the culmination of the work of a lifetime, partly because Hux was the kind of man to focus on the next goal instead of savouring the present success, but also because he couldn’t take his mind off a certain train of thought.

The General wondered what would’ve happened if he hadn’t met Kylo on the ship, if their fates hadn’t crossed in such a particular manner. What if the young man hadn’t been Force-sensitive and therefore they spent their entire time as co-workers completely oblivious to their bond? Surely there were thousands of cases like that, and many of them might even be reaching a culmination at that very moment under the excruciating power of a distant sun’s heat.

He wondered how many soulmates would be dying at the moment, with or without knowing each other; how many of them would’ve had time to spend together, and what if Kylo had been one of the inhabitants of that place, watching impotently as the heat devoured everything he knew.

The General left his spot before the weapon had finished firing. He needed to see Kylo, just a quick peek to make sure he was actually on the Finaliser and not burning to death on the targeted system.

*************

They finally had the girl, the infamous scavenger that had caused such turmoil and dragged their quest for the map. And Hux couldn’t care less. Snoke had said the map could be destroyed, right? Then why couldn’t they have just waited for her to go to the Resistance for help and then just wipe the planet they were on, maybe even the whole system?

Such were Hux’s thoughts after the end of a meeting when Kylo Ren stormed into the room. The General was gathering his datapad when he felt the knight press against his back, followed by the seals of his mask being disengaged. Hux sighed when Kylo placed his chin over his head.

“Master Ren, I thought you’d be busy with the prisoner”.

“She’s still unconscious”, responded the taller man, grabbing Hux’s waist. “I figured meanwhile I could find other ways to use my time”.

“Come on, Ren, be serious. We can’t be fucking in every room we find ourselves alone in”, warned Hux. It wasn’t like he didn’t need an outlet for his own stress, he just didn’t have time for this at the moment; a hundred things called for his attention and there was no time to lose.

“Killjoy”, said Kylo grumpily and stepped away.

Hux did his best to lighten the mood. “Do you really see potential in that girl?”

“I do. She’s seen the map; I could sense it in her mind”.

“And what makes you think she’ll tell you anything about it?”

Ren snorted. “She doesn’t have to. I just need to get inside her mind and extract it”.

“You rely too much in all your mind tricks, Ren”, pointed Hux out.

“Need I remind you that such ‘tricks’ have worked perfectly before?”

“Maybe there’s nothing important in her mind. I mean, she’s just a scavenger”.

That earned Hux a tilt of Kylo’s head. He narrowed his eyes as he studied the General’s expression, who looked back at him with a raised brow. He wasn’t sure what Kylo’s reaction meant but he’d already had enough with the scavenger girl. Everyone in the bloody ship seemed to be talking about her and her presence seemed to make the people restless; her situation was even addressed during the meeting and now Ren kept on focusing solely on her when there was so much more to do…

A smirk spread over Kylo’s face. “Are you jealous, General?”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous”, scoffed Hux. “What could I possibly be jealous about? As I said, she’s nothing but a scavenger”.

Ren smiled again. “You _are_ jealous”.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Kylo”.

“But you are. You’re jealous of my new plaything”, started Ren, pacing around Hux. “Maybe I ought to invite her to _play_. Perhaps you’d even like to watch-”

If Ren was going to say anything else, it was prevented by Hux, who had quickly turned Ren around and pressed him forcefully against the wall, the knight’s chest hitting the alusteel panel hard. One of his arms was trapped between his back and Hux’s body, his wrist crushed beneath Hux’s fingers grasp.

“Since you’re so determined, I’ll give you something to play with”, whispered Hux through gritted teeth in Ren’s ear while he pushed the knight’s robes aside and pulled his trousers down enough to expose his rear.

Hux then proceeded to insert two fingers inside Ren’s mouth and ordered him to lick them. Kylo obeyed, coating the redhead’s fingers in as much saliva as he could. He knew he would need it.

Kylo shut his eyes tightly as Hux’s fingers entered him. The General prepared him only for a couple of minutes before inserting himself inside Ren. The knight had to brace himself on the wall as Hux thrusted into him repeatedly. It wasn’t long before they were both gasping, Hux’s hand closing around Kylo’s neck and Ren pulling at Hux’s hair fiercely.

There were many things Hux wanted to say, the first one being that he wasn’t necessarily jealous of the girl herself as much as he was about the amount of time and energy Kylo had spent on her. He also wanted to tell Ren he wasn’t allowed to talk to him in such a disrespectful manner, that he had to stop destroying his ship, that he couldn’t just have whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. But for the time being, the main thought in Hux’s head was _mine, mine, mine_ , and he wasn’t about to say that aloud, so he let his body do the talking.


	5. Hypodermis, pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nobody said it was easy

_Pain took over his whole body. It was like a vicious flower blooming inside of him and extending itself throughout him. Every single nerve ending was on fire and he screamed until his throat went raw. This was supposed to be a happy ending._

*************

It all started going downhill from the moment the Scavenger escaped. Kylo should’ve guessed there was something wrong with her since that moment alone in the woods, but he was blinded by that glimpse of the map, by being so close to his objective. Hux would say he was too reckless.

_Hux_. The knight was still raw from their last encounter and he needed to keep his head straight. No time for dwelling on anything related to the General, who had a lot on his plate at the moment as well. Now the priority was to find the girl before…

Han Solo. That was a presence Kylo could sense anywhere. Unknowingly, his _father_ was heading to a dead-end; Kylo had promised the Supreme Leader to finally cut all his ties to the light and he couldn’t fail this time, not after massively overlooking the scavenger’s force-sensitiveness. Yet, when he was finally going to confront Solo on the bridge, he didn’t really know what to do. He couldn’t make his mind up about whether to follow through and prove his faithfulness to Snoke or trying to figure something out that didn’t necessarily involve a radical action.

But then Kylo glimpsed at the dying sun from which Hux was extracting the energy to power his super-weapon, that infernal and powerful thing that was the redheaded’s pride and joy. He observed there was still too much light, meaning that although the weapon was probably half charged already and going for its third quarter, Hux still needed time. And right there, on that dimly lit bridge, Kylo Ren made his choice. There was no other way. He needed to keep the scavenger and her traitorous friends occupied until the weapon was fully operational, so the General, _his_ General, could complete the mission, regardless of the price Ren had to pay.

_I know what I have to do, but I don_ _’_ _t know if I have the strength to do it_ , he pondered, the thought racing through his mind furiously. He reached out through the Force as the light slowly vanished, concentrating on the dim connection between his and Hux’s soulmarks. The sun was barely a spot now; just a few more minutes and it all would end. By the time darkness engulfed the place, Kylo Ren was ready. He held tight to that connection as he voiced his doubts to Solo, never letting go of his intangible bond with Hux. He was so far gone into the bond that he hardly felt his fingers activating the lightsabre.

Then everything started happening too fast. A roar interrupted the stillness and suddenly pain stung Kylo’s side. Then came the explosions and the heat and the run, and then the snow with its biting cold in the absence of a sun that was already dead.

*************

Of course Hux felt it, not only the physical pain but the psychic one as well. He felt the very core of his being shake as something akin to grief settled in. It took him a few breaths to stabilise himself, but the urgency of the current situation was enough to ground him, forcing him to focus on the concerns of his employees while explosions shook the Finaliser’s own core.

*************

Kylo hadn’t really thought about it. At first, because he didn’t care and then, because not dwelling on it was a way to prevent himself from getting much more involved in it.

If he ever gave it a thought, his mind would helplessly wander to his mother and her own soulmarks. He couldn’t imagine his and Hux’s connection to ever be anything remotely close to what Leia had with Han and Luke. He believed his own bond to be slightly broken, the thought fueled by the incompletion of their marks.

And yet, the deepest part of Kylo’s subconscious yearned for that connection. The light in him called to all those memories of him and Chewbacca playing, of Han teaching him how to pickpocket, of Leia taking him to meetings and letting him talk with the grown-ups as if he were one of them…

However, what he felt with Hux was very different. It wasn’t homely or cosy or safe; it was all passion and sensation and novelty. But after the raging emotions had subsided, Kylo also got something he couldn’t get anywhere else: balance.

Hux was different from Kylo in as many aspects as one person could be from another, and yet that was perhaps the best part about the whole thing. That was why he, while lying on the snow wounded, refused to accept their last encounter would be that one angry fuck in a conference room before everything started falling to pieces. He still had things to say, to do…

He was a bit surprised when Hux appeared on his peripheral vision while the planet roared and trembled, a frantic look on his face as he picked Kylo up and pressed him against his chest. Ren let himself be manhandled, too tired to protest, his soulmark throbbing reassuringly.

*************

It wasn’t long before they were off the dying planet, their shuttle heading back to the Finaliser as quickly as possible. Kylo was lying on a small cot inside the improvised medbay of the shuttle while Hux sat beside him, holding his hand.

Kylo slowly opened his eyes. Hux’s touch on him was warm, and Kylo’s body temperature had to be extremely low if he had started to feel Hux’s regularly icy hands the slightest bit warmer. The look on the General’s face was one of quiet concern and restrained anger, his control faltering only when looking at Ren.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, brushing a few strands of hair off of Kylo’s face.

“I did it. I killed him”.

“Yeah, I felt that”, said Hux nonchalantly.

“You did?” Hux nodded in response to Kylo’s inquiry and for a moment the knight felt fascinated, but a twinge of pain reminded him of his situation. “Still I failed”.

Hux didn’t respond to that, opting for staring at Kylo instead. His habitually perfect hair was slightly dishevelled; his face seemed even paler than usual; his coat was hanging over his shoulders like a dead-weight, somehow making him look smaller and younger. Kylo often forgot the General was only 34.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, Hux started inching closer to Kylo. His face was mere inches from Ren’s when the knight turned his head away.

“Don’t”, he said, laying a hand on Hux’s chest. “I’d have to kill you”.

“I know”, replied Hux as he grabbed Kylo’s chin and turned it so he was facing him. “But at least I’d have this”.

And with one last push, Hux closed the space between them. Kylo’s lips tasted like blood; the wound on his face had only been mildly treated and it hurt to move but he didn’t really care. Hux’s lips, on the other hand, were just as cold as the rest of him, yet they were soft and pliant and opened up gladly as Kylo pressed his tongue forward, tentatively.

As soon as chemicals started rushing through his bloodstream, Kylo understood why he had postponed this moment for so long. He knew that once he tasted Hux’s lips, he’d be doomed; he wouldn’t be able to stop.

He melted into the General’s touch, revelling on the feeling of his hand on his chin, his hair, his neck, on the softness of his lips, on the taste of his tongue. As soon as he knew exactly what he felt for Hux, he also realised he couldn’t put him in danger.

They soon had to part for breath, both panting and dizzy. Right when they were trying to compose themselves, Hux’s wrist started burning, and he knew by Kylo’s expression that his own mark was burning too. Hux lifted his uniform slowly, almost afraid of what he’d find. And there it was, his soulmark merging before his eyes. The circles were completing themselves as the outlines of triangles appeared inside of them, mirroring Kylo’s mark.

Hux was dumbfounded for a few seconds, almost unable to believe that what his younger self had wanted so badly was finally happening. When he looked back at Kylo, at his _soulmate_ , he found a terrified expression on his face and he couldn’t do anything else but kissing it away. However, Kylo was running weaker from the blood loss and soon they’d get to the main ship, so Hux let the knight rest, never letting go of his hand. He didn’t know what the near future was holding for them, but he was determined to face it.

*************

Four days had passed since the events on Starkiller Base and everything seemed to be almost back to normal. Hux was going through a few reports in his quarters when Kylo Ren made his entrance. They had sporadically seen each other in the medbay because of Kylo’s treatment and it was the first time they were alone and uninterrupted.

Kylo’s side was almost fully healed but the wound on his face that went down to his shoulder was still on the process of healing. Of course it would be healing a lot faster if only Ren let the medical droids do their job, but Hux wasn’t about to go into that at the moment with so many more important things to discuss.

Kylo hovered near the table, uneasy. Hux glanced at him and sighed.

“You can sit, you know?”

“I’m alright here. How are you?”

“Managing”, replied Hux, fidgeting with his datapad, barely registering the words he was supposed to be reading. “How about you?”

“I’ll survive”, shrugged Kylo, suddenly very interested in a spot on the wall. “So are we gonna talk about it?”

“About what?”

“Stop that. I know Snoke called you and I have to know what he said”.

Hux had been dreading this moment but he knew he couldn’t avoid it forever so he decided on a direct approach. “He wanted to check on your progress and mine. He also sent in the coordinates to his citadel. He expects you to be there as soon as possible to complete your training”.

“Where’s the citadel?”

“You wouldn’t know even if I told you”, replied Hux sarcastically, trying to lighten the mood. “In any case, the citadel was scarcely four days away from our location when he called”.

“And when was that?” The tremor in Ren’s voice was almost imperceptible.

“Two days ago”.

Ren closed his eyes and Hux held his breath. He knew he should’ve said something before, but he had been incapable of bringing himself to it; he was already having a hard time dealing with Starkiller Base's disaster and the soulmark thing and Kylo’s health…

“So that means we’ll be getting there tomorrow, am I correct?”

Hux nodded in response, genuinely amazed of Ren’s control when the knight slammed his fist on the table. _So much for control, then_.

“Fuck! You could’ve said something earlier!” he yelled, piercing Hux with his gaze. “You do know what this means, don’t you?”

Hux looked back at Ren in defiance but what he found in the knight’s eyes wasn’t anger as much as it was desperation. They’d both had been selfish and here were the consequences.

“We can’t hide from him, Hux. He’ll know that we’ve bonded, he’ll sense it. You don’t know how powerful he is”.

“Perhaps, but I still don’t understand what is the real problem with all of this. It’s not like you’ve bonded with a member of the Resistance…”

Ren huffed. “You don’t understand. The dark side thrives on emotions, okay? Intense, powerful emotions. But they aren’t just _any_ emotions and this…” he gestured between them, carefully choosing his words, “this is too volatile. There are just as many chances for it to draw me into the darkness as there are for the light. The Supreme Leader can’t have that much uncertainty regarding my training”.

Hux was still looking at him. “Then what do you suggest?”

"We can..." started Ren, eyes searching. “We could set course somewhere else".

"Somewhere else, really?" said Hux, incredulous. "And where might that be, Ren? The Illenium System, perhaps?"

Kylo was now frowning, looking at his gloved hands and avoiding Hux's eyes.

"Are you suggesting my defection? Because if that is the case, let me make something perfectly clear: it's not happening". Hux’s voice had become as harsh as in their very first interactions. "The position in which I stand is the product of a lifetime of work. You may still have some semblance of a family in the Resistance but I don't! And I'm not about to cast everything away because of something as pointless and inconsequential as this!"

Hux took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair, feeling unwanted tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. "There's nothing for me out there. And I'm afraid we're both already too far away from the light to come back".

Ren lifted his gaze for the first time since he had proposed defecting. Contrary to Hux, his tears had already started spilling over his face. His eyes were those of a man who knew a painful fact to be true but who had been avoiding the acceptance of such. It broke Hux's heart.

If he'd been another person, Hux would've wanted to give his soulmate the best life he could afford, attending to their every whim and filling their lives with enough love to last for generations. But he wasn't a wide-eyed, redheaded boy marvelling at his soulmark anymore. He was the son of Commander Brendol Hux and the Commander had made damn sure he would stay that way forever. That broke Hux's heart too.

Yet there were a few advantages of being the son of a prolific Commander and one of them was being a skilled strategist. And when it came to possibilities, Hux had already thought about 18 at least.

*************

That "morning after" wasn't just like any other.

The previous night, Kylo had been especially receptive, melting under each and every of Hux's touches, and Hux had been particularly willing to please. It had all been just as intense and somewhat violent as usual, but with a certain fervor neither could entirely understand.

When Hux had been fully inside of Kylo, bodies pressed together and panting, he hadn't wanted to move, just as if their lack of movement could stop time from passing. Eventually, they'd both given in and started their preferred frantic pace, doing their best to forget about the next day and the decisions it would hold.

Hux buttons his uniform absentmindedly but Kylo bats his hands away and starts doing it himself, making Hux frown as colour spread over the ginger's cheeks. They’re both avoiding the other’s eyes, each lost in their own head while they finish dressing. Hux is fixing his cuffs when he concludes that a last check-up can never hurt.

“So, are we clear on all the details?”

Kylo stops lacing up his boots to raise a brow at Hux. “Of course, what are you on about?”

“Nothing. I just want to make sure we’re on the same mindset”, replies Hux, examining closely a spotless glass. “Can you please repeat some of the details? Just to be sure”.

Kylo sighs. “I’m going to force-shield my mark from Snoke from the moment we get to the planet and since I can’t shield yours, if he inquires about it, we’ll tell him you bonded with someone else. It’s pretty easy, to be honest”.

“It _sounds_ easy. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves”.

“Relax, Hux”, says Kylo, standing and placing a hand on Hux’s shoulder. “I’ve got this”.

Ren’s not necessarily lying, but he is trying to hide his anxiety. When they had discussed this the previous night, he’d been very confident on being able to hide things from Snoke but now he wasn’t so sure. It was obvious Hux wasn’t as confident today either, opening and closing his gloved hand without noticing, a motion he kept on repeating even after they got on the shuttle that was supposed to take them down to Snoke’s planet.

A squad of troopers accompanied them in their own AAL but it did nothing to appease Ren. He knew if Snoke found out –which was the most realistic outcome–, they’d have little to no options on how to act. And although Kylo was uncertain of how it would all play out, he was sure of where he stood; Snoke had taken everything away from him, but he wouldn't let him take Hux as well. Not him.

Snoke’s planet was a wooded one; wherever Kylo looked, he found greenery. His master’s citadel, on its part, was just as imposing as it was to be expected, yet it blended with the general aesthetic of the place, its stone walls adapting to the natural patterns of its surroundings.

The main temple wasn’t the exception and for a few seconds, anxiety gripped Kylo almost completely as he walked past the troopers that would wait for them outside and that would later be joined by Phasma and a couple more squadrons. Still, he knew he should be past fear; he had to concentrate.

The longer Hux and him kept on walking, the less light reached them. By the time they arrived at Snoke’s chambers, darkness engulfed them almost completely. The Supreme Leader opened the doors for them and both the General and the knight entered the place with resolve. They bowed before Snoke’s throne in a synchronised way.

“Supreme Leader, I’m here to fulfil my promise of bringing your apprentice to you”, expressed Hux with his usual even tone.

“So I see, General. Very well done", praised Snoke, nodding. "Rise up, my knight, let me see your face”.

Kylo did as he was told with pride, the gash on his face the only sign of his defeat. Snoke’s visage twisted in amusement.

“You both have done well”, he started, standing up. “But something’s not quite right”.

Hux’s jaw tensed and Kylo’s posture became more rigid but those were the only signs of their inner turmoil. Snoke got closer to Hux, a distressed expression on his face.

"Shame weighs on your shoulders, General".

"It does, Supreme Leader. The disaster of Starkiller Base is still fresh on my memory".

"Is it just that…” inquired Snoke, pensive. “Or is your chagrin fueled by the disgraceful mark on your arm?"

Hux gulped. "I'm afraid I don't..."

"General! You ought to start speaking with the truth! There are just so many displays of disrespect I can tolerate", the Supreme Leader snapped. "Now, to whom do we owe the honour?"

The General straightened. “A member of the crew”.

“Is that so?” Snoke was circling him like a predator. “A most fortunate coincidence, then. And which member would that be?”

"Me", said Kylo, stepping forward. Snoke _knew_. There was no point in keeping the charade up.

Hux looked at him wide-eyed. "He's lying".

"I'm not. What reason would I have to lie about being bonded to a man whom you know I've despised?"

"Interesting", said Snoke, amused. "I wonder what you're both trying to protect each other from".

Silence reigned.

"Well, since that's been settled, there are pressing matters to attend", he stated, turning to Kylo. "You have done well by ridding yourself from Han Solo, my apprentice. Now it's time to cut all your ties to the Light".

Kylo was looking down, fists tight at his sides. Snoke stopped pacing.

"Kill him".

Ren’s head snaps up. This was it, the moment both Hux and him had been dreading all along. He slowly takes his lightsabre from his belt, igniting it as he starts making his way towards Hux. He can hear the whispers beckoning him further into the Dark, their call just as strong as that of the mark on his forearm.

This is what he’s always wanted, the unrestricted power and to shut the Light away once and for all. He’s sacrificed so much to be where he’s at that faltering now would automatically erase everything. But then Hux looks him in the eye and what he sees there is not incomprehension or fear. Kylo sees understanding, approval even, and on top of all that, forgiveness.

The lightsabre swings, its unstable light reflecting on Hux’s eyes and Snoke’s hungry expression, but it never makes contact with its supposed target. Instead, Kylo’s sabre flashes towards Snoke.

As suddenly as he’d made his decision, Kylo finds himself crashing against a far wall just to be immediately pinned against it. All of his muscles are being strained under his master’s expert wield of the Force.

“Foolish child! You really thought you could stop me?” With a gesture of the hand, Snoke makes Kylo scream. “I admire the hatred you’ve harboured through this experience. We’ll explore it further on, but first you’d be wise to learn about obedience”.

He looks back to find Hux him pointing a blaster at him. “Let him go”, says the General, the green in his eyes becoming icy.

“General, you should hold your tongue as well as your gun. You owe everything to the Order, what do you plan on doing without it? You’re nothing without your stripes!” roared Snoke, pinning Hux to his spot with blaster still trembling in his hand and the soulmark peeking from under his sleeve.

“Ah, the offending object”, says Snoke, momentarily drawing his attention to Hux’s wrist and bending down to pick Kylo’s sabre up. “You know what they say about inconvenient elements; one must _root them out_ ”.

Everything happens too fast. Snoke ignites Kylo’s sabre and before Hux can actually process what’s going on, the lightsabre swings and slices his stretched arm, the blaster still in hand.

Pain took over his whole body. It was like a vicious flower blooming inside of him and extending itself throughout him. Every single nerve ending was on fire and he screamed until his throat went raw. This was supposed to be a happy ending. At least that's what everyone said, what every tale, every song and every painting reinforced: soulmarks were supposed to bring joy to people's lives; they were supposed to complete you and give you an indescribable bond. And although Hux had stopped dreaming about that, he still hoped for _something_ , anything, even when reason told him this was the only possible outcome. Soulmarks came with pain, and that was nothing new.

All of a sudden, the atmosphere felt very charged, full, making Hux’s hairs stand on end. He glanced to his side and found Kylo heavily making his way towards him and Snoke, extending his hand in the direction of the Supreme Leader. He was sweating profusely and his face was contorted in pain and anger, but he kept on walking.

The Supreme Leader seemed both surprised and fascinated as he tried to fight Kylo’s influence. His movement wasn’t as constricted as Ren’s, yet it was clear he couldn’t walk freely. The closer Kylo got, the greater the tension grew. Snoke’s expression twisted into one of incredulity and rage.

Kylo was only a meter away from Snoke and Hux when he called his lightsabre with his free hand. The Supreme Leader’s grip on Hux had subsided enough for the General to move, so he started crawling towards Kylo to meet him halfway. Once he was at Ren’s feet, Snoke was almost completely paralysed, his face a mask of utter fury.

Slowly but surely, Hux got up, placing his remaining hand on the hilt of Kylo’s sabre, right over the knight’s hand. They both activated it and for a moment, the noise it made echoed in the room. The charged atmosphere dissipated as Snoke fell to the ground right after Kylo’s lightsabre was deactivated.

Hux fell to his knees for the umpteenth time that day, being followed by Kylo, whose hand was hovering over the General’s charred wound. He lied back against Ren’s chest as the knight placed his head over his and stroked his hair.

“It’s fine, it’s all fine now”, whispered Kylo almost compulsively. It seemed like he needed to hear that more than Hux.

Hux closed his eyes momentarily, not minding the implications of what had occurred just yet. He concentrated on Kylo’s breathing as he tried to school his own.

“We’ll fix you, put you back together”, continued the knight, frantically.

Hux scoffed. “I’m not sure this can be fixed”.

“B-but your arm, and the mark-”

“It’s not important”, started Hux, turning as much as he could to look at Ren. “A physical mark is not needed to maintain the bond”.

Ren chewed on his lip apprehensively. “How do you know?”

Elements from his conversations with Phasma came to Hux’s mind and he smiled. “I just do”.

A buzz from his comm interrupted them.

“General? What’s your status?” It was Phasma, ever the intuitive. There were powerful reasons that woman was a Captain.

Ren took the comm and spoke. “Captain! The General is injured but stable. We’re going to need medical transport.

“Understood. I’ll have everything ready”.

“We must get out of here”, said Ren to Hux as he put his arm around Hux’s waist and passed the General’s right arm over his shoulders, wasting no time in getting them out of there.

_He really is dead now,_ thought Hux, glancing back at Snoke’s body. He also looked one last time at his discarded arm, the completed soulmark perfectly visible now and he let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Outside, the troops were already being mobilised. When Kylo stepped out with Hux, everyone froze, taking in the sight of their General missing his left arm. Kylo swallowed hard.

“Snoke is dead”, reported Ren to the troops, which hadn’t moved an inch. “He had become dangerous for the purposes of the First Order and he had to be eliminated. The General and I saw to that”.

Having the Stormtroopers’ full attention made Kylo feel a little more confident. Hux was still leaning heavily against him when he decided to put in practice a plan he had roamed over for a while now.

“Our Order needs a leader now, someone courageous, intelligent, honourable and fearless”, he continued, disentangling himself from Hux, who looked at him wide-eyed. “Troops, behold our new Emperor, Jonathan Brendol Hux!”

And with that last statement, Kylo raised Hux’s arm above their heads. The General looked back at him, a plead written on his face but Kylo reassured him with a nod and when Hux looked at his troops, the faltering was gone.

It didn’t take long before the troopers started kneeling before them until every single one was on their knees. Phasma had a proud smile on her face. Ren was the last to kneel and he did so right next to Hux, who still seemed unable to believe this was happening.

Hux scanned the crowd, from Ren to Phasma to the kneeling troopers and suddenly his head wasn’t spinning as violently and the pain wasn’t as unbearable. He was exactly where he was supposed to be. He allowed himself one last look at Kylo, his knight, his _soulmate_ and he couldn’t help but smile. Yes, he was definitely where he was supposed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you it wouldn't be a Skywalker who lost their arm this time...  
> Anyway, thank you all for the patience, I hope it was worth it. Stay tuned for a bonus chapter!


	6. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bonus chapter as a "thank you" for the kylux fandom

Hux looked at his reflection in the mirror; it was hard to recognise himself in such elegant clothing. The day of his coronation had arrived and he could only think about the red details of his uniform and the gold ones on his coat. Amazing how life could change in a matter of mere weeks.

He looked at the neat image before him, his coat draped over his shoulders and he thought of the irony of it all; he used to wear the coat exactly the same way when he had both arms. It was a shame he had lost his dominant hand; he quite liked writing the old-fashioned way.

Hux had spent the last two weeks being cared for at the medbay and assessing where the loyalties of the Order layed, just to find out he stood in a fortunate place on both the medical and the political ground. He had received opportune enough medical attention, which meant his wounds weren’t infected and that he was candidate for a prosthetic –though he wasn’t extremely interested in it at the moment–. On the other hand, he had performed well enough throughout his professional life that he was ensured not only the full loyalty of his troops –not to mention they used to be terrified of Snoke–, but also the approval of the Order. He knew this to be temporary but he was determined to prove his worth.

And of course, there was _Ren_ , his insufferable co-commander who also happened to be his soulmate. Hux couldn’t say everything was perfect; they still lashed at each other and disagreed often but there was an unspoken respect between them.

“General”, called Phasma from the door, interrupting his musings. “It is time”, she said with a smile.

General Hux looked at himself one last time and took a deep breath. His life was about to change in ways he couldn’t even imagine, so there was no point in postponing it any longer. He followed Phasma with a flutter of his coat.

*************

Having both the coronation and the celebration on Snoke’s planet was the last blow to erase everything the old Supreme Leader had meant. Hux’s troops had occupied the whole citadel, making use of its bases and installations as they pleased.

Hux held a glass of emerald wine as he watched the party unfold before him. The coronation had been a solemn but simple ceremony and he was pleased to see his troops were doing well, accepting his new position in good spirits.

“Enjoying the party?” called a voice from behind him and Hux turned to find Kylo Ren standing with a mischievous expression on his face.

“Very”, replied Hux sincerely. “Unlike others. Where have you been hiding?”

Kylo ignored his question, gesturing with his head in the opposite direction. “Come”.

“So soon? Can’t I at least enjoy my own party?” said Hux but he followed Ren regardless.

They descended a couple sets of stairs until they got to the base’s medbay.

“It’s not finished yet and I had a little help, but hopefully you’ll find it useful,” explained Kylo as he guided Hux towards the centre of the room in which a table full of scattered steel parts stood.

In the middle of the table there was a shiny metallic arm that seemed to be perfectly crafted to fit Hux. The Emperor raised a brow.

“Really, Ren? Aren’t we going too far with the whole Vader thing?”

Kyllo frowned, annoyed. “Just look at it, okay?”

Hux approached the table and started inspecting the object. As he progressed, he genuinely marvelled at the craftsmanship. He never thought Ren was this skilled with his fingers, at least not at _building_ things.

“We’re just going through the last details so you can get it installed whenever you want to. If you feel like it, that is”, corrected Ren, suddenly self-conscious.

“It’s amazing”, breathed Hux, sliding his fingers along the piece. He then got to the wrist, where he found the shape of his former completed soulmark engraved on the metal. Hux touches it nostalgically and looks back at Ren, a smirk playing on his lips.

“I know you said marks weren’t important, but…” Ren was stuttering. That was new. “Well, you always said I had a way of getting under your skin”.

“Sentiment, my Master Knight?” teases Hux, allowing himself a full smile. “It’s true, though; you _do_ have a way of getting under my skin”.

The Emperor approaches his Knight and places his hand on Ren’s cheek. Kylo reciprocates, setting his hands on Hux’s waist.

“Thank you”, whispers Hux and just when Kylo starts leaning forward, he stops him with a hand to his chest. “Come. I have something to show you too”.

Hux takes Kylo to one of the terraces of the palace, the stars gleaming above them. There’s a bottle of emerald wine and two glasses waiting for them. Hux pours some of the liquid in both glasses and hands one to Kylo before taking one for himself.

“I was always fascinated by the stars when I was young, but of course, you already knew that”, says Hux before taking a sip of his wine.

“I did”, replies Kylo, looking into his glass. “It appears you conquer everything you grow fond of”.

The blush on Hux’s face had little to do with the wine and he has to take another gulp before speaking. “You know, I was wondering if you’d be interested in a more _permanent_ spot on my guard”.

“More permanent? That would imply I could currently lose my job anytime”.

“We can all lose our jobs anytime”.

“ _If_ we underperform, that is. And I am very much sure ‘underperforming’ is not one of my flaws”.

_Cheeky_ , thought Hux. “On the contrary; it’s your ‘overperformance’ that I have issues with. Anyway, as I was saying, if you really wanted it, you could get promoted”.

Kylo snorts. “I can’t possibly imagine how a second-in-command could possibly be promoted, unless you want me to overthrow you and I have no interest in taking your place”.

The brand new Emperor smiled. “Who knows? Consort of the Emperor, perhaps?”

The expression on Kylo’s face was of utter disbelief, as if he couldn’t accept he’d heard right.

“It’s not an easy job”, said Hux seriously. “It’s risky, it’s uncertain and you’ll probably want to quit from time to time. But I can promise it pays back”.

Kylo swallowed audibly, his eyes never leaving Hux’s, which were gleaming under the starlight. Slowly, he took Hux’s hand in his’ and shrugged. “I already have a pretty objectionable job, anyway”.

They both smiled and this time, when Kylo leant in, Hux didn’t stop him. He felt the knight’s hands roaming over his back as he tangled his fingers in Kylo’s hair, kissing him hungrily.

Ren kissed him as if his life depended on it and right there, Hux finally understood. Soulmarks were indeed stupid, but he hadn’t gone through all of this for a mark; it had been for a person –Kylo Ren, no less– and he thought his younger self would be okay with it. He was still himself after all, the scrawny-looking ginger boy who dreamt of greatness and the stars, who rubbed anxiously at his wrist whenever he felt insecure. He was just a bit taller, a bit more experienced and a little less alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who stuck from the beginning and to those who joined us on the way. Special thanks to everyone who commented or left kudos, you guys did wonders for my motivation levels. This is the first fic I publicly finish and it fills me with joy to know it was for this fandom that is so welcoming and kind.   
> Come say hi on my main tumblr: wibblywobblyconsultingdetective or join me in my quest for the best kylux stuff at: hell-yeah-kylux  
> Prompts are open on both, so that's that. Thanks for reading!


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